Why Are There Ink Spots All Over My Copies?
Calendar Tuesday, August 5th, 2014
Photocopiers are a necessary and important part of most offices, whether it is a small business or a multinational company. While copiers are generally easy-to-maintain, easy-to-use machines, they are not without their problems. Regular maintenance is required to ensure they continue making clean, clear copies for years to come. One of the main problems that people often have with copy machines is smudges on the photocopy. Smudging on a copy can occur for a multitude of different reasons, but many of the reasons are thankfully easy to fix.
The Copier Needs To Be Cleaned
Cleaning the printer will solve the majority of ink smudge problems. In some cases, the toner will leak into other components of the copier, or outside of its designated area, which can then cause shadows when the machine attempts to copy. If this happens, there is a possibility that the copies will have ink smudges in the area that the toner has spilled. If this is the case, the machine will need to be disassembled and cleaned with a toner vacuum. These vacuums make it safe to remove the excess toner, which should clear up the majority of ink smudge problems.
The Copier Is Jammed
When a printer is jammed, you usually are aware as no other papers can get through. While that is a common problem, occasionally a copier can get jammed with a small piece of paper, dust or debris. If this happens, the paper can feed through the copier without a problem, but can get caught up a bit when it’s attempting to spit out the final product. If this happens, the feed gets disrupted and ink smudges can occur. To fix this problem, a technician would clean the copier, and ensure there is no debris that can cause a paper hangup.
Toner Needs Changing
Sometimes, when a toner cartridge needs to be changed, it will complete copies that are smudged or discolored. This happens because the cartridge is low on the ink it needs to complete the copy, and an uneven product is the only way to complete the process. In some cases, the toner cartridge will simply malfunction and create a copy with large smudges on the copy, and much lighter black and white coloring. If this is the case, it is a simple fix. Simply change the toner cartridge and run another set of copies.
Before you attempt to disassemble a copier yourself to get to the route cause of splotched copies, it’s always best to call a professional, even if simply for advice. The staff at UCI will be more than happy to answer any questions you have relating to printer maintenance. In many cases, having a tech come out and take a look at the problematic copier is your best bet, so don’t hesitate to check in with UCI today.